Goethe believed the string quartet to be the ideal way to understand instrumental music. "You hear four intelligent people conversing, believe you draw something from their talk, and become familiar with the peculiarities of the instruments." Two centuries of string quartet literature are sampled in this invigorating collection, with movements from works by Haydn, Schumann, Ravel, Mozart, Verdi, Fauré, Thomas, and Martin.

"The Amati Quartett's sound is well balanced, with a consistent blend of timbre and the virtuosity to meet any obstacles."—Washington Post